Health and Human Services just issued a five-year plan to eliminate viral hepatitis, a chronic liver disease that afflicts 3.3 million Americans. The plan seeks to boost hepatitis vaccination rates, make it easier for patients to get tests and treatments, and spur more research and development of cures.
Unfortunately, ConÂgress seems poised to undermine this initiative. House Democrats just reintroduced a price control proposal known as H.R. 3, or the Lower Drug Costs Now Act.
The 2019 bill would gut patientsâ access to treatments for hepatitis â and for other diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. And it also would deter companies from investing in future groundbreaking medicines.
Below is Alston & Bird’s
Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in healthcare regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies, and analyses; and other health policy news.
Week in Review Highlight of the Week:
This week, HHS announced several efforts to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates in the U.S. Read more about these initiatives and other news below.
I. Regulations, Notices & Guidance
Event Notices
May 11-12, 2021: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a public meeting entitled,
Meeting of the Pediatric Oncology Subcommittee of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee. The general function of the subcommittee is to provide advice and recommendations to FDA on regulatory issues.
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On April 28, 2021, President Biden gave his first address to Congress and announced the American Families Plan (AFP or the Act). The AFP follows the 1.9 trillion-dollar stimulus, the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law on March 11, 2021. The AFP seeks to invest approximately 1.8 trillion dollars in various issues facing families, including childcare, pre-school, paid family leave, Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax cuts, nutrition support, and free community college. According to the White House’s Fact Sheet on the AFP (Fact Sheet), the AFP “is an investment in our children and our families helping families cover the basic expenses that so many struggle with now, lowering health insurance premiums, and continuing the American Rescue Plan’s historic reductions in child poverty.” This blog post discusses the health-related portions of the AFP and provides an overview of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which
Monday, May 10, 2021
On April 28, 2021, President Biden gave his first address to Congress and announced the American Families Plan (AFP or the Act). The AFP follows the 1.9 trillion-dollar stimulus, the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law on March 11, 2021. The AFP seeks to invest approximately 1.8 trillion dollars in various issues facing families, including childcare, pre-school, paid family leave, Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax cuts, nutrition support, and free community college. According to the White House’s Fact Sheet on the AFP (Fact Sheet), the AFP “is an investment in our children and our families helping families cover the basic expenses that so many struggle with now, lowering health insurance premiums, and continuing the American Rescue Plan’s historic reductions in child poverty.” This blog post discusses the health-related portions of the AFP and provides an overview of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which seeks to lower prescription